1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of dental bite block systems used in maintaining the mouth of a patient in an open position during a dental procedure and tongue suppressors used in combination with bite blocks.
2. Relevant Technology
When a dentist performs a dental procedure, it is often helpful for the patient""s mouth to be held open to provide access to the patient""s teeth. Some procedures, such as a simple examination or teeth cleaning, the patient may be able to open his mouth wide and long enough for the dentist or hygienist to perform the dental procedure. However, in longer and more complex procedures, the patient may tire from holding his or her mouth open or, in the alternative, be unable to hold his or her mouth open due to the pain of the dental procedure or numbness resulting from the anesthesia. In these types of procedures, dental mouth props may be used by a dentist in an effort to mechanically maintain the patient""s mouth in the open position.
As appreciated by those skilled in the art, dental mouth props may function in a variety of ways. For example, some prior art dental mouth props incorporate a tubular frame inserted between the cheek and gum of a patient""s mouth. Dental mouth props of this general nature generally mask the outer surface of the teeth, thereby making it difficult to view, drill, fill and/or perform other dental procedures on the teeth. Moreover, the dental mouth prop is usually positioned on both sides of the mouth, thus having the effect of obscuring the dentist""s view and access from all angles within the patient""s mouth.
Other dental mouth props have been developed by those skilled in the art which engage the teeth of a patient. These prior art dental mouth props are typically inserted between the upper and lower molars on one side of the mouth allowing a dentist to view and have working access to a larger area of the patient""s mouth. However, these devices have no provisions for patient comfort and may cut or irritate the patient""s mouth, gums and cheeks. Often these types of dental mouth prop devices are small and could be accidentally swallowed by a patient causing severe injury to the patient.
As appreciated by those skilled in the art, a patient""s tongue may also interfere with a dental procedure by interfering with the dentist""s visibility and by interrupting the limited available work space within the patient""s mouth. Traditionally, dentists have used a variety of implements in an effort to suppress the tongue during a dental procedure. For example, dentists have used hand-held suppressors to hold the tongue in place. However, the use of hand-held tongue suppressors restricts the dentist to the use of only one hand or requires a dental assistant to hold the suppressor in place. Hand-held suppressors can therefore crowd the available working space within the mouth and prevent a clear view of the targeted work area.
In view of the foregoing, efforts have been made to integrate into a single device the ability to prop open the patient""s mouth while suppressing the tongue. An example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,866 to Campbell, which issued Jun. 12, 2001, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein. The Campbell device includes a bite block sized and configured to engage the patient""s teeth in order to thereby maintain the mouth in the desired propped-open orientation and a tongue suppressor that extends laterally from the side of the bite block. The tongue suppressor is sized and configured so as to be slidably disposed within a corresponding slot within the bite block so as to provide lateral adjustment of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block.
Whereas the Campbell device represents an improvement over previous dental mouth props and tongue suppressors, it is limited in the range of adjustability of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block. In view of the tremendous variability in the size and shape of the patient""s mouths, dental arches, teeth and tongues, the adjustability feature provided by the Campbell device may not adequately cover all such variations in an optimal manner.
Moreover, the Campbell device is of the xe2x80x9cone-size-fits-allxe2x80x9d variety that is not customizable to account for variations in the size and shape of individual patient dentition. It also does not always reliably or comfortably remain in place or suppress the patient""s tongue during dental procedures.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a bite block/tongue suppressor having greater adjustability so as to accommodate any and all differences in the sizes and shapes of one or more of a patients"" mouths, dental arches, teeth and tongues and/or to more reliably or comfortably suppress the patient""s tongue during the dental procedure.
In one aspect, the invention comprises a customizable dental bite block that can be customized to include an impression of a patient""s teeth for use in maintaining the mouth of a patient in an open position. The customized bite block results in greater patient comfort, and it assists in keeping the bite block from slipping out of the patient""s mouth during use. In another aspect, the invention comprises anatomical tongue suppressors, and bite blocks incorporating such tongue suppressors, that more reliably or comfortably suppress the patient""s tongue. In another aspect, a tongue-suppressing bite block is provided that includes an adjustable tongue suppressor adjustably connected to the bite block.
In one embodiment of the invention, the bite block includes one or more slots configured to receive therein a corresponding portion of the tongue suppressor in an adjustable fashion. The one or more slots provide or allow for at least two modes of adjustment of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block. The first mode of adjustment allows for lateral movement of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block, thereby providing the ability to extend or retract the tongue suppressor in order to effectively adjust the length thereof. In this way, the position of the tongue suppressor can be adjusted in order to account for varying tongue widths among different people. This adjustment is particularly advantageous for those embodiments in which the tongue suppressor includes a flange feature that engages a side of the tongue distal to the bite block, and particularly those that wrap around and also engage a portion of the underside of the tongue.
The second mode of adjustment allows for vertical movement of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block, thereby providing the ability to raise or lower the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block and the patient""s teeth. In this way, the position of the tongue suppressor can be adjusted upwardly or downwardly in order to account for varying tongue thicknesses among different people, tooth heights, or other variations that result in variability between the relative heights of the tongue and tooth surfaces within different people.
Other, optional modes of adjustment are also within the scope of the invention, including but not limited to, adjustments that allow for one or more angular movements of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block (e.g., lateral, axial or both).
The bite block and tongue suppressor can be of any desired design and material. In general, the tongue suppressor includes a retention arm that extends from its engagement with the bite block across the top of the tongue. The retention arm is the primary feature of the tongue suppressor that holds the tongue and prevents it from obstructing access to the patient""s teeth. The tongue suppressor may optionally include a flange or other projection at an end distal to the bite block that projects or curves downward into the inferior aspect of the oral cavity (e.g., the bottom cavity of the mouth). This flange or other projection can engage a side of the tongue opposite to the bite block in order to provide an additional tongue suppression feature in addition to the retention arm.
The retention arm may be configured to slide freely into and out of the slot. Alternatively, retention mechanisms such as a friction fit, a mechanical lock, notches and the like may be incorporated into the design of the bite block and/or the tongue suppressor to more securely hold the tongue suppressor in the slot of the bite block in a desired position.
In a more preferred embodiment, the tongue depressor includes a flange that is configured so as to curve around and under the tongue when in use in order to anatomically cradle or retain the tongue in a more secure and more comfortable fashion. This embodiment better inhibits a struggling patient from slipping his or her tongue around the side of the flange and out from under the tongue suppressor, which can potentially obstruct or inhibit the dental procedure. Thus, an anatomically shaped tongue suppressor may be used to more securely cradle and retain the tongue in a desired orientation during the dental procedure.
The bite block may be configured with one or more shoulders that extend along the sides of the teeth. These shoulders serve to position the bite block on and around the teeth and to prevent lateral slippage. Shoulders may be present on both sides of the bite block around the inside and outside of the teeth. The shoulders may be of varying heights. A lower profile interior shoulder may be less likely to rub on the roof of the mouth and cause pain or discomfort to the patient. Of course, the interior and exterior shoulders may be sized and configured in any desired fashion.
Since the bite block will generally be held in place by the teeth of a patient, it advantageously includes opposite-facing surfaces that engage the upper and lower teeth, respectively. The surfaces may be elastically (i.e., resiliently) distortable, thus allowing the teeth of the patient to slightly penetrate and temporarily deform the surface area. In this way, the surfaces can provide gentle engagement of the teeth. The surfaces may include ridges, indentations, ribs, or other features that provide mechanical means for engaging the teeth and preventing slippage of the bite block relative to the teeth.
In a more preferred embodiment, the tooth engagement surfaces and at least the immediately surrounding area may advantageously comprise a plastically deformable material that is able to at least partially received and retain an impression of the patient""s teeth. For example, the engagement surface may comprise a material (e.g., a thermoplastic polymer) that, when heated, temporarily becomes plastically deformable and that, when cooled, maintains an impression of the patient""s teeth absent the application of an external force. In this way, the bite block can be custom-fitted to a particular patient in order to increase patient comfort and also to more reliably maintain the bite block in the desired position and keep it from inadvertently slipping out from between the patient""s teeth. The engagement surface may alternatively comprise a material (e.g., wax) that is plastically deformable at body temperature and that will at least partially retain an impression of the patient""s teeth over time absent application of an impression deforming force.
The bite block may advantageously be employed on either side of the mouth, e.g., by reversing its orientation relative to the person""s teeth and/or by removing and reversing the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block. The bite block may be manufactured to include an angle that matches the desired angle of an open mouth. The angle of engagement may vary depending on the age and size of a patient as well as the size of the area needed for conducting the dental procedure. The dentist may be provided with varying sized bite blocks and/or tongue suppressors to account for varying mouth sizes and shapes.
The bite block and/or tongue suppressor may be formed, if desired, with rounded edges and surfaces to prevent injury to the soft tissue. The exterior surface of the bite block may be curved, for example, to conform to the general shape of a patient""s mouth. The bite blocks and/or tongue suppressor may be formed from one or more materials selected for their low cost and/or disposability. In addition, they may be pre-sterilized and packaged. Moreover, they may be treated with a desired flavoring.
These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.